Rim and tire lock



Aug. 17,1926. 1,596,665

' C. F. KO-CH, JR

RIM AND NRE LOCK 'Filed March 15, 192:5

man

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

i" NITED STATES RIM AND TIRE Loox.

Application led March 13, 1925. Serial No. 15,397.

This invention lrelates to improvements in locking means orv devices for preventing theft or unauthorized removal of demountable rims and tires used on vehicle wheels.

.15 Wheel rims of this type have been proposed in which specially devised attaching members or interitting parts -on the rims and fellies were provided with locking devices or locks intended to securethe rims on the wheels and prevent their removal except by means of keys or similar imple` ments. These constructions, however, are not adapted for use with standard wheels and rims, wherein the rims are secured by ldetachable clips or similar devices. Moreover these special constructions are expensive to produce, and replacement of parts means loss of time, as'such parts are not generally stocked.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved, simplified and secure locking means or device adapted for use with rims and wheels or wheel fellies of standard construction with only `a Aslight modilication or change in the standard equipment. l i

Other objects are to construct a locking device of this character. in which` a lockoperated bolt or member is used to prevent 30 theft of the rim and which is entirely independent of the rim securing means; also to provide means to be used in connection with the usual tire valve tube, so that the valve tube will 'be adapted to cooperate with the 35. locking device to positively prevent the unauthorized removal Of a rim or tire from a wheel; also to provide improved and simplified means for Preventing the tire from being forcibly removed from a rim which is locked to a wheel with the locking means of this invention, and also to provide improved locking means 4or devices for demountable rims and tires in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings; Fig. 1 is a face view of a vehicle wheel having a demountable rim and tire thereon, said wheel and rim being equipped with locking means embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, of the locking means on line 2 2, rig. s.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sect-ion thereof on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section showing a locking device of modled construction.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary inside face View of a portion of `a felly with the locking device of Fig. 4 thereon.

Figli is a longitudinal section thereof on line 6 6, Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view thereof on line 7 7, Fig. 6.

- Fig. 8 is a transversefsection of a rim and wheel felly showing a tire valve tube provided with means whereby the unauthorized disengagement of the tube from the rim and felly is'prevented.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, on line 9 9, Fig. 8, showing the means for preventing the unauthorized removal of the tire from the locked rim.

In Fig. A1 of the drawings a vehicle wheel and demountable rim of substantially standard construction is shown, said'wheel and rim being providecLwith means embodying the invention for preventing the theft of, or unauthorized removal of the rim or tire. This wheel A (or its equivalent, such as aspare rim holder or carrier) is provided with a felly.. or annular member 10 of the usual channel lsection comprising a web 11 and opPOSOutwardly directed flanges Y12 and 13.

Any standard rim, removably secured to the felly 10 by any usual or suitable securing devices'may be used, such for instance as the rim 15.which is of shallow channel formation, having a bottonnweb 16 and outwardly flaring flanges 17 for retaining the beaded portions 18 of any standard type of pneumatic tire 19 thereon, said tire having an inner tube 20/which is inflated with air introduced through the usualstandard tire valve tube 21, Figs. 1 and 8. rlhe rim 15 is adapted to be positioned on the felly 10, or

removed therefrom by a sidewiseV movement, for instance to the right in Fig. 2, and when positioned on the wheel, is held in place by means of the standard detachable clips 24, Fig. 1, or by a removable locking ring 25 arranged at one side of the wheel so as to overlap adjacent edges of the felly and rim. This ring is held in place by clips (not shown) similar to the clips 24. As thus far described, the parts are of known construction and of themselves form no part of 'this Y invention, and other standard rims and. at-

taching devices could be substituted for those shown.

1n accordance with the invention, the wheel felly 10 and rim 15 are provided with a single relativ-ely small and simple locking or lock-operated device for preventing the theft of the rimand tire, which is adapted to so function even though the usual clips or devices 24 or rings 25l are removed. 'In the form shown in Figs.` 1-3, this locking device 28 comprises a movable finger or bolt 29 rigidly secured to the spindle of a small cylinder or othersuita-ble locky 30 secured of the wheel so that the bolt 29 can swing in a plane parallel to the lugs or flanges 31. The lock 30 may be mounted or secured on the'gwheel in any suitable manner. shown, theweb 11 ofthe felly 10 is depressed or deformed at 32 to form a pocket 33 in the bottom of which the vlock is secured. The lock is preferably provided with opposite lateral arms or wings 3ft adapted to en gage the sidesof the pocket 33 and overlap upon the adjacent vportions of the 'web 1.1 to which they are rigidly secured, as by welding or otherwise. The outer end of the lock extends outwardly through an aperture in the pocket 33 to ermit the insertion of a key, the-keyhole eing protected against the entrance of dirt or water by a threaded dust cap 35; They lock is preferably of the kind in which the removal of the key is prevented, except v-:hen in locked position, so that the user-i can be certain that the bolt 129 is in locking position when removing the rey.

The retaining fianges 31 can be formed on or secured' to the rim 15in any suitableV way such as by forming them on a separate plate or part 36 and welding or riveting this part'to theinner face o f the rim. Additional locking devices 28 could be used if desired. 1

Vhile the locking device 28 can be relied upon to prevent the theft of the tire and 'rim in most cases, additional means, co-

operating with, or supplementary to,` the locking means are provided. For this purpose the locking device 28 is preferably disposed substantially opposite to the tire valve tube 2l as shown in Fig. 1. Thisvalve tube as usual, extends from the inner tube 2O through holes 37 and 38 in the rim 15 and web 11 of the felly'respectively, being de tachably Yheld in place on the latter by the usual lock uut d0. It might sometimes happen that unauthorizedI attempts would be .made to demount the tire and rim by removy ing the locking ring, clips or other securing devices, and deflate the inner tube so as to disengage the tire valve `tube 21 from the felly and rim by pushing the valve tube through the holes 37. and 38and against the deflated'inner tube; The rim and tire might then be forced off the wheel at this side of the wheel, and then by swinging the tirel and rim outwardly vstill further, a leverage 'It will therefore be seen that even should the usual securing clips', rings or other de` yvices .be removed andthe tire deflated, the

locking device 28 and the opposed valve 21 secured in the manner stated, positively prevents the J rim and tire from being stolen. The lock 30 isl small and only a relatively slight depression or ocket is required to be formed in the fel y to receive it. The

lugs- 31 of the part 36 extend only a slight.

distance into. the felly and when the securing ring 25 isremoved @and the'bolt disengaged from said lugs, theV lugs will pass freely over the felly at that side as the rim is removed., y l

As a further aid in the prevention of theft ofthe tire', the wheel andtire ma be lprovided With interlocking parts w ich are adapted to frustrate unauthorized attempts at removal of the tire from the rim by deliating the tire'and then forcing the same over a tire retaining flange of the rim. Means of this sort, particularlyadapted for 'use with clincher tires and rims, are shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and comprise a fixed loop or apertur'ed lug 45 preferably formed on or secured to a tire bead in a position such that it extendsmadially of the wheel so as to pass through a hole 46 in the rim 15 and into the channel of the felly adjacent the ange 12 thereof. A vpin or fixed -stud 47 on the face of the liange 12 is adapted to extend into the aperture in the lug 45. These inl terengaging parts effectively prevent the tire from being pried otf as the tire bead cannot move outwardly and is prevented from being forced towards the valve by the engagement of the lug with the' side of the hole -in the rim. l

'.The rim and tire, however, canbe easily removed laterally from the wheel or positioned thereon when the locking device 28 is unlocked. Any other suitable interenga ging parts may be provided to prevent the tiresv from being pried loose.

The invention is not limited to the particular arrangement of the locking device 28 shown inFigs. 1-3 as other constructions lluf adapted .to serve asimilar purpose may be employed. -For instance, vin Figs. 4.-7, a

locking device is shown having a lock 5,0'arranged radially ofthe wheel in a depressed, conical pocket 51 in the web 'of the elly the housing of the lock havingjapair of arms or lugs 52 .for securing thev lock to the The 'bolt 530i the 'lock 50 extends into the spacesbetween the felly and rim and is provided Ywith an elongate. head 54. This head is adapted, in its `'unlocked position, to extend with its longestv sides lspose'd j Vtransversely of the Wheel, and in this posi'- tion to pass freely into and out ofA an elongate transverse slot o r aperture in a fixed box-like pocket 56 formed on or secured to the inner face of the rim 15a. When the rim 15a with the tire thereon is to be mounted on the Wheel, thelslot 55 is alined with the bolt 53 and the rim -is moved laterally on to the Wheel so that the bolt v53 and its head 54. will pass .into the slot, asv shown. in Figs. 4 and- 7. By turning the` key in the look, the bolt 53 is rotated and the ,head 54 will extend transversely across the slot and will be prevented from removal vtherefrom either laterally or radially,by'the engagement of the head with the portions of the pocket adjacent the slot 55.

The locking devices 28 or 50, the lockl -nut 41 and the interfitting ti-re loop or lug 45 and stud 47 described are all relatively smally parts which can be ladded to or formed on standard wheels, rims and tires .at slight extra expense and these parts pro- `vide very effective and secure means lfor peventing `the theft of tires and rims. oreover these parts are not depended upon to hold or secure therim on thevvheel or felly, the usual strong clips or 'rings and clips being employed for this purpose in `the usual. manner.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a wheel having a demountable rim and securing devices for holding said rim in operative relation on the Wheel, the combination of a lock operated member on said Wheel independent of said securing devices and adapted to engage a part on the rim to prevent the unauthorized removal of the rim romsaid wheel when said securing devices have been detached.

2. In a Wheel having a demountable rim, a tire on said rim, securing devices for holding said rim vin operative relation on said Wheel, and a valve tube` for permitting the 4 tire to be inflated and which extends from said tire throughi holes in said rim and said Wheel, the. combination of a lock operated member arranged on said Wheel at a point al of said rim and tire.

remote from said valve tube, said lock operated member being adapted to engage -a part on 'said rimvto prevent the. unauthorized removal `of the rim from said wheel when said securing devices have been detached,

and holding means onsaid valve tube adapted to engage said rim `to prevent movement of said tube relatively tov said rim and Wheel when thetire is deiated, whereby said valve tube and said tube holding means are adapted to cooperate With said lock operating member in preventing unauthorized remov- 3. In arwheel having a demountable rim, a tire on said rim, -securing -devices forholding said rim in operative relation on said Wheel, and a valveY tube for permittingther tire to be inflated and which extends from Wheel, the combination of a lock operated l,member arranged on said 'Wheel and adapted to engage with a part on said rim; :a holding nut on said valve tube engaging said rim to-prevent movement ofsaid tube'relatively to said rim andvvheel when said tire is deflated, said` lock operated member said tire through holes in said rim and said and said valve tube and tube holding nut .being arranged on opposite sides yof said Wheel to prevent the unauthorized removal o fsaid rim and tire when `said s ecuringdevices are detached.

4. In a Wheel having a demountable rim 'l and securing devices for holding said rim in operative relation on the Wheel, the combination of a lock functioning independently of said securing devices and arranged in a pocket in said Wheeltand a finger adapted to be moved by said lock so as'to engage be-l tween a pair of transversely arranged fixed parts on said rim to prevent unauthorized .lateral movements or removal of saidv 'rim when said securing devices'are detached.

5. In a Wheel having a demountable rim projecting fixed parts disposed so as to engage and straddle said movable lock part to prevent lateral movement oi"` said rim relatively to said Wheel when said movable lock part is in locked position and said'securing devices are detached.

i CHARLES r. KOCH, JR. 

